Alan Didak's AFL career appears over after GWS rules out selecting former Magpie for 2014

25 November 2013 2:23 AM

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Alan Didak spoke to Greater Western Sydney officials about possibly joining the league's newest club in 2014, but the Giants ruled out the move on Monday. Is this the end for the Collingwood legend?

THE AFL career of former Collingwood premiership star Alan Didak appears over after Greater Western Sydney today ruled out selecting the delisted free agent.

Didak, cut by the Magpies at the end of the season, held discussions with GWS coach Leon Cameron, football operations manager Graeme Allan and other staffers on Sunday after a surprise call from the Giants.

But GWS says they would not be pursuing the 30-year-old to bolster their senior playing stocks.

"Following media speculation we can confirm we will not be taking Alan Didak as a delisted free agent or in the preseason draft," the Giants tweeted early on Monday afternoon.

The Giants' decision comes after Didak had a medical check with the AFL's newest club and was said to be buoyed by the prospect of another chance, although the forward was believed to be debating whether he was prepared to move his young family to Sydney.

Didak had lunch with his former Collingwood teammate and great friend Heath Shaw on Sunday.

Shaw was traded to the Giants last month and is known to be delighted by the prospect of reuniting with Didak.

A decision could be made by today's 2pm deadline for delisted free agents, but the Giants were thought to be some chance of securing Didak via Wednesday's pre-season draft.

Cameron has made no secret of the fact that the club is on the hunt for experienced AFL players to support the wealth of young talent already there.

He told the Herald Sun: "We started with a clear strategy over the off-season to bring in some more established senior players, which will help fast-track our young kids."

"Clearly there has been a strategy that we have gone for players from clubs that have won premierships."

The Giants used the trade-free agency period to pick up Didak's 2010 premiership teammate Shaw, as well as other flag winners in former Swan Shane Mumford and former Cat Josh Hunt.

GWS also claimed ex-Bulldog Dylan Addison and will select former Swan Jed Lamb in the pre-season drat.

Didak told the Herald Sun soon after he was delisted by the Magpies in September that he believed he had another two seasons of AFL football left in him.

But there appeared to be little initial interest in the player whose career with Collingwood included a premiership medal, a Copeland Trophy and All-Australian selection.

Didak played 218 games for the Magpies in a career that reached some soaring highs before the frustration of recent seasons when injuries restricted his output.

But he maintains that his body is feeling as good as it has for some time and is confident that if he is picked up, he can be a valuable acquisition.

But there appeared to be little initial interest in the 30-year-old, whose career with Collingwood included a premiership medal, a Copeland Trophy and All-Australian selection.

It was always thought that Didak's only chance of an AFL reprieve was only going to come from GWS.

Didak played 218 games for the Magpies in a career that reached some soaring highs before the frustration of recent seasons when injuries restricted his output.

But he maintains that his body is feeling as good as it has for some time and is confident that if he is picked up, he can be a valuable acquisition.